Never to be Queen
by missiek11
Summary: Prince Liam is about to welcome the next Heir to the Henstridge Monarchy, effectively knocking Eleanor out of the direct line of succession. What does this mean for her? And more importantly what does this mean for she and Jasper? Could this be just the ticket to their path to freedom?
1. Chapter 1

Never To Be Queen

There are very few things in life that have the ability to render Eleanor Henstridge speechless, however, standing here, looking at her twin brother; she is at a loss for words. And she's pretty certain that her mouth may actually be hanging open.

"I'm sorry, what did you say, I don't believe that I heard you correctly"?" Eleanor asks Liam, slowly coming out of her own thoughts and back to Earth.

"I said…" Liam begins before once again being interrupted by his sister.

"No, I heard what you said, I just can't believe it, I thought perhaps I had imagined it", Eleanor tells him, seeking out clarification.

"It's true, Kathryn is in fact pregnant, she and I are having a baby", he admits.

"Holy shit!" Eleanor begins screaming, running around the room, both of her arms and her hair flailing about.

"Len!" "Len!" "Please be quiet before someone else hears you!" Liam pleads with his sister.

Just as quickly as she began to move around Eleanor abruptly comes to a complete halt, once again standing in front of Liam.

"Is this a good thing? she asks, now thinking out loud.

"What are you going to do?"

"Who else knows about this?"

"Are you going to marry her?"

Suddenly Eleanor is spewing off every thought that is running through her mind not allowing Liam any time to process let alone answer her many questions.

"Do you want to stop so that I can actually answer your questions Len?" Liam wonders, grabbing her by the shoulders, sitting them both down on the sofa so that he can address her concerns one by one.

"First of all, yes it's a good thing, I think it is, we didn't plan for this and to be honest, I was very shocked when Kathryn told me but now, yes, I feel like having this baby is a good thing".

"I don't exactly know what we're going to do, we're trying to take things one step at a time, it's a lot to process, you know? he explains, to which Eleanor simply shakes her head in understanding.

"Are you going to ask Kathryn to marry you now? Eleanor wonders once again.

"I don't know, I haven't gone out to buy a ring or anything", he rationalizes.

"But do you think you will?" she continues, trying to dig all the answers she possibly can out of him.

"Most likely", Liam admits.

"It's the most logical thing, right, we're having a baby, to marry its mother, to be a family. I've always wanted my own family", he tells her, thinking of their father.

"I wish dad were here."

"Me too", Eleanor agrees.

"What do you think he'd tell me to do?" Liam asks, looking her in the eyes.

"You know what he'd tell you to do Liam, he'd tell you to follow your heart".

"Do you want to spend the rest of your life with Kathryn and not just because of the baby?" "Would you want to be with her forever even if there were no baby? Eleanor is being honest and really getting down to the nitty gritty with her twin and forcing him to be honest with himself, just as their late father would have. And in this moment it is exactly what he needs the most.

"Kathryn is wonderful, she's amazing, but how do you _really_ know if you're with the person that you are meant to be with forever?" Liam points out.

Once again Eleanor becomes lost in her own thoughts and doesn't realize that he is actually looking for her to answer his question when she once again hears her own name "Len?"

"Oh sorry, I just got lost there for a second", she apologizes.

"What was the question again?"

"I said, how do you really know someone is _the_ one?"

"Why the bloody hell are you asking me? Len wonders in surprise when she became the go to for relationship advice.

"Because you have that, you have that one thing that everybody spends their entire life looking for in someone else, you and Jasper have that", Liam informs her, supposedly being the first to ever have looked at the couple as a source of inspiration.

"I suppose that's true", Eleanor agrees.

"So…", he asks, probing her to be more specific.

"So, there's no secret formula to it or anything, I just can't imagine not spending every day for the rest of forever with Jasper Frost".

"Sure we make each other crazy, we've been through a lot, we've both hurt each other a lot but at the end of the day he's still the only one I want to be with".

Hearing his sister talk about loving her boyfriend, Liam smiles, both because it's fantastic to see her so happy, so in love, to see _her_ be the one to get it right and because he's beginning to understand what she is talking about. To be honest, never in his life did Liam ever think that he would be the one sitting here in this predicament, sitting here asking Len for advice about what to do about something like _this_.

"You need to find the person who not only makes you the happiest that you've ever been", she continues on, " that person who even during the times that aren't so happy, there's no one else you'd rather fight with, or fight the world with." "Someone who makes it all worth fighting for."

"Jasper makes me a better person, and I think I do the same for him. Let's be honest Liam, I think he and I are the only person who really get each other".

"I totally agree Lenny", Liam admits, standing to wrap her in a hug.

"I'm so happy for you, for you and Jasper, no one deserves it more."

"Thanks Bruv, he proposed, well sort of." Eleanor confesses, stunning Liam now into silence.

Liam jumps back from her a bit, surprised that he is _just_ hearing about this, "What?", he demands, wanting to know everything.

"It wasn't a real proposal, it was a…", she tries to explain, words failing her miserably.

"It was a 'I'd like to sometime not that far off ask you to marry me', a pre-proposal.", she says, at last finding her footing.

"A Pre-Proposal?, Liam questions, giving her a look that only he could.

"Yes, you know, like a promise, he just wanted me to know where he stands, where we stand", she explains, now wishing that she had kept her bloody mouth shut.

"I get it", Liam promises, understanding where both she and Jasper are coming from.

"Well, congratulations, I think that's great."

"Thanks." "So anyway, we are not supposed to be talking about me", Eleanor continues, attempting to get herself out of the hot seat.

"So, who else knows about the baby besides me?"

Just Mum", the soon-to-be Dad admits.

"Mum?, Eleanor asks dumfounded.

"Our Mum, The Queen of England?"

"Yes", Liam admits, in a sing songy voice.

"And she didn't have a heart attack?" Eleanor wonders, still unable to believe it all.

"She's actually been pretty great, supportive about it all", Liam admits.

"Unbelievable, maybe the end of the world is coming", Len surmises.

"Well, whatever happens, you know that you always have me, no matter what, you and Kathryn both, not to mention my little soon-to-be niece or nephew", she promises, smiling at the thought of being an aunt.

"Aunt Lenny", Liam jokes, pointing at her.

"I'm going to be the best aunt, spoil the kid rotten, I just don't do diapers", she informs him, lifting up both hands in defense.

"I have no doubt that the baby will love you Lenny", he tells her, grinning from ear to ear.

"I can't believe you're having a baby", she confesses the reality of it still not feeling absolutely real.

"I know, crazy right?" he admits.

"Unbelievable", she reaffirms the feelings, walking to the door to leave his room.

"Hey, by the sounds of it, maybe I'll be repaying the favor sometime not that far off", Liam hopes after hearing all the positive things that Eleanor and Jasper have coming their way.

"Don't jinx me brother!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Generations of British Monarchs believed that destiny had played a hand in their ability to rule, that God himself had placed them on the throne. Currently, her brother, The King, too believed that he had been destined to be King, while her twin brother, Liam believed that he had earned the right to sit on that throne, no matter who had been born first.

Eleanor, on the other hand, as the only daughter and third child of the now Queen Mother, had never shared that destiny nor a desire for it. And now that Liam was expecting his first child, and her mother's first grandchild, Eleanor would soon be knocked down another spot in the line of succession. Come to think of it, so would Cyrus, she hadn't even thought of that before. The more children she and her brothers had, the further down the line her Uncle, the former King, went, how unfortunate for him.

While Cyrus would be upset by the news of his change in status, she was thrilled at the prospect of being out of the direct line of fire. The more she thought about what it means for her and for she and Jasper's relationship and future, the happier she became. Not only would she be further out of the spotlight, but any future children that she and Jasper may have would most definitely not have any chance to rule, they would actually have a chance at a "normal life". In fact, if she and Jasper so choose, their future offspring wouldn't even necessarily need to be titled.

It was well past Midnight when Eleanor left Liam and went to find Jasper, sound asleep in their bed. She was now wide awake and in great need to speak with him.

"Jasper, Jasper, Babe, wake up", she commands, using her best Princess voice, trying to shake him awake.

"What?" he demands to know, annoyed at being so rudely woken up.

"Eleanor", he chastises, struggling to sit up amongst the mound of blankets.

"Do you have any idea what time it is, I was very much asleep and I'm sure whatever it is could have waited until the morning".

"No, listen, I need to speak to you, _now_ , it cannot wait", she insists, ignoring his plea for sleep.

Jasper relents, sighing, finally sitting all the way up in bed. "Okay, what is so urgent?"

"We're going to have a niece or nephew!" she announces in an excited tone.

"Already?" Jasper whispers, "They just got married three hours ago and they are already pregnant?" he repeats in disbelief.

"No, no, not Robbie and Willow, Liam and Kathryn", Eleanor explains, as Jasper's eyes go wide in astonishment.

"What?" he asks, unable to believe what he is hearing.

"I know", Eleanor agrees.

"Seriously?"he questions again.

"Honest", Eleanor promises, holding up her right hand.

"Wow" "I can't believe it", Jasper declares in shock, rubbing the sleep from his face.

"How does Liam feel about it?"

"He says that he's happy, that it was obviously unexpected, but that they are happy and excited about the baby."

"What's the Queen going to say?" Jasper wonders out loud.

"Oh, she already knows", Len says, shocking him once again.

"She what?"

"Oh, yeah, Mum is well aware of the situation and Liam says that she's being supportive. "

"In fact, when we thought that Willow was going to help us to expose Robbie, Mum arranged for Kathryn to be relocated to a safer place so that she and the baby would be out of the way of any retaliation".

"And now that things have not gone as planned and they are married and Robert is still on the throne what happens?" Jasper inquires, at a loss for what exactly happens now.

"I don't exactly know for Liam and Kathryn; I suppose she stays hidden until we know it's absolutely safe for them both."

"I'll tell you one thing, Robbie will not be pleased when he finds out about the baby, especially being that Liam is beginning the next generation, the new heir before he is", she confides.

"Especially with Kathryn being the mother, after everything that went down there", Jasper supplies.

"Exactly", she agrees.

"But I can tell you what it means for us Bodyguard." Eleanor says, placing her hands on both sides of his face.

"Oh yeah and what's that Princess?" he asks

"Baby we're going to be free!" she exclaims.

"I'm no longer in the direct line of succession once Liam's son or daughter is born."

"And I'm sure that it won't be too long before Willow is pregnant as well."

"Don't you see, we can get out, I won't have to be here anymore once I'm no longer deemed important".

"Don't say that", Jasper admonishes, "You'll always be important".

"I know, but it won't be the same, I won't need to be under Robbie's thumb anymore, bowing to his will." Eleanor explains.

"There will be plenty of people in front of me now." "So that we can go off and have more of a normal life."

"Yes, we'll still be obligated to attend Royal functions, charity events, family events, things of that nature, but we won't be so restricted."

"Perhaps, God willing, the Paps will even begin to find me less interesting."

"We can just be us, live our lives as we so choose."

"I think you may be unrealistically simplifying things Eleanor", Jasper informs her, feeling like he must remain the realist in this situation.

"A girl can dream can't she?" Eleanor pleads, giving him the puppy eyes.

"Ok, for tonight at least we can dream of a simpler, less Royal life together." Jasper promises, lifting the covers up over both of them and drawing her body in close to his.

"Good night Princess."

Before Jasper's head even hits the pillow Eleanor is already fast asleep, dreaming of their future life together.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Kathryn?" "Kathryn?" Liam calls out, searching the small cottage for her.

"Hi", he greets finally finding her, with a kiss on the cheek.

"Good morning." Kathryn replies, nursing a cup of tea.

"Are you feeling sick again this morning?" the young Prince questions her, this seems to be a common theme each morning, or at least each morning he stays with her.

"Yes, a bit, I am", she confirms.

"Sorry", is all that Liam has to offer up in the hopes of making her feel better.

"It's not your fault." She promises, giving him a small smile, as they situate themselves at the small kitchen table.

"It kind of is." He says, still feeling a bit guilty.

"No, it was both of us." Kathryn assures him.

"But I should have known better, especially given who _you_ are and the situation with Robert and who _he_ is."

Kathryn had had a lot of time to think while she'd been holed up here alone. She'd spent a lot of lonely days and night, reading and watching tele and movies, waiting on Liam to either visit or even be able to ring her. But she understands that it's most complicated on his end; the Spare, unmarried and now expecting a child with his brother, the King's ex-girlfriend. She would never have wanted to complicate his life at all, let alone this way.

Things aren't exactly coming up roses on her end though either; after all she is the one who's pregnant. She can't even really contact her father or Angie to tell them what's going on. They believe that she's on holiday in the States, and she writes them once a week so that they know that she's alright and won't worry. But is she alright? Liam stays with her here in this cottage now, while Robert and Willow are on their honeymoon. But what happens once they return? Will she have to sit out the remainder of her days here until she gives birth? And once her child, their child, is born what will happen to her and the baby? Both Liam and his mother try to assure her that everything will be fine, that they will be fine. But the coo didn't go as planned and Robert remains on the throne, and is more powerful than ever know that he's taken a wife, his Queen. Kathryn's list of concerns become longer with every passing day. What if Liam can't protect her? On some days, she actually wishes that she had never opened her doors to him that first night he came to The Prince's Arms, so many months ago.

"Kathryn?" he questions her, breaking her out of her own head.

"Yeah?

"Yeah, yes, I'm fine, there's just so much to think about, you know?"

"I know." He agrees, acknowledging that it's hard for her.

"So, when do you think that you'll tell Robert, about , about us?" she asks, placing a hand on her still flat stomach.

"As soon as he comes home." Liam, confirms, putting his hand on top of her's.

"We won't be able to wait much longer, you'll be showing soon."

"Speaking of which, are you alright on clothes, toiletries, and everything else?"

"Is there anything else that you need right now?"

"Why are you leaving today?" she wonders, sadly.

"I'm going to have to go home for a bit, to speak with my Mum. See where we're at with _everything."_

Kathryn silently nods her head in understanding, what more is there to say? It won't change anything. Complaining certainly won't change the situation nor make it any better.

"Mum mentioned wanting to get you in to see her gynecologist, discreetly of course." He tells her, having forgotten to mention it earlier.

"That's thoughtful of her.", Kathryn agrees.

"Of course", he tells her, standing from the table, going to put their cups in the sink. " We need to make sure that the two of you are healthy and taken care of. Only the best."

"I must admit, I am looking forward to having my first scan, seeing the baby for the first time."

"That will be wonderful." Liam agrees, meeting her eyes with a smile.

"Do you think that you want to find out if it's a boy or a girl?"

"I don't know, maybe", she says, having not really given that part of things much thought. The gender of their child, at the moment, being the least of her concerns.

"Whatever you want." Liam tell her, now lost in his own thoughts.

"Will you be there?", Kathryn wonders, looking up at him with hope.

"Where?" he asks.

"At my scan, to see our baby?"

"Of course I will be.", Liam promises, meaning it with all his heart.

He walks back over to her, taking her in his arms, "We're in this together Kathryn, you and me, and baby too."

"We're going to make it through all of this mess, I swear to you."

The sound of Liam's phone suddenly pulls them apart again. His Royal life is an unstoppable force that affects everything. But is she ready and willing to make it part of her life and more importantly to give her child over to it? What if Liam succeeds at dethroning his brother and becomes King? Her child will be King or Queen! There goes her mind racing away again!

"It's my Mum." He informs her. "She needs to see me right away."

"Well than you better go.", she relents, pushing him physically and in some part of her mind emotionally away.

Perhaps it's actually best if Liam leaves right now for awhile, she has a lot to think about; the reality of their situation and how _she_ actually feels about her part in it.

"You'll be alright?" he asks, grabbing his things.

"I'll be fine."

"Ok, I'll be back as soon as I can." He promises, giving her a kiss before heading out the door.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"What has you looking so glum this morning?" the Princess asks, greeting her bodyguard boyfriend, sliding both of her arms around his bare chest.

"I was just thinking about what's going to happen." He replies, placing both of his hands over her's, turning his entire body so that they are face to face.

"Happen with what?" Eleanor wonders.

"Oh, everything" Jasper says, letting out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

"Robert, Willow, the Coup, all of it." He confirms.

"Let's not think about that just yet, it's too early in the morning and you are far too handsome to have that worried look clouding your face", she tells him while sliding herself onto his lap.

Jasper holds onto her tightly while Eleanor begins kissing her way along his jawline and bearing her teeth on some of his most sensitive spots. Suddenly all the worries he had a second ago have vanished and all that he can think about is her and all the things he would like to do to her in their bed.

"Hey guys, good morning!" Liam announces, barging into their bedroom, without knocking.

"Oh Sorry" he apologizes once he realizes that he has interrupted _something_.

"Liam!" the couple screams in unison.

Regrettably Eleanor climbs off of Jasper and with a flourish of bedsheets situates herself back down on the bed.

"Can we help you with something?" Jasper asks the Prince in annoyance, looking for his pants.

"It seems no one in this family knows how to knock", he continues, eyeballing his former charge.

"Listen, I'm sorry, I didn't think that you'd be doing, well what you were doing." Liam apologizes, heading towards the door.

"I'll just leave you to it and we'll catch up later, okay?"

"No, Liam, forget it, the moment has passed, what did you need?" his sister asks summiting to the fact that it wasn't going to happen for she and Jasper this morning.

"I just wanted to let you know that Mum called me and I'm here and I was hoping that we could all discuss everything."

"Figure out a plan, what's going to happen."

"Especially before Robbie and Willow return from their honeymoon".

"Yeah, we definitely need to do that." Jasper agrees.

"We need to come up with a new plan and have a solid idea of who we can really trust and what they can bring to the table."

"So just give us a minute and we'll be with you." He says, ushering Liam out the door.

Once Liam has gone Eleanor asks, "You have a plan?"

"I might." Jasper confides.

"Get dressed so we can all sit down."

"Rain check?" she asks him with a smile.

"You know it." He promises.

"Good morning Darling." Helena greets her second eldest son at the breakfast table.

"Morning Mum." He replies, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"I trust that everything with Kathryn is running smoothly?" the Queen asks, wanting to be both discreet but also ensure that her grandchild and its mother are doing well.

"She's doing the best she can, with, with everything that's going on, you know." He tells her, hoping that she'll grant his girlfriend some leniency.

"Understandable" his mother agrees as Cyrus bursts into the room, "Where the bloody hell have you been?"

"I've had a few things that I need to take care of Cyrus", Liam informs him defensively.

"There's a lot going on."

"Bollocks!" Cyrus retorts, as Eleanor and Jasper enter the room "from where I'm standing there's absolutely nothing going on and that's the problem."

"We should be getting all of our ducks lined up in a row while Robert and his little Bitch wife are on holiday."

"Do you think that Willow has mentioned anything to Robert?" Eleanor chimes in , asking the group.

"I don't know." Liam says honestly. "Personally I feel stupid, I thought that Willow and I were friends and that she was someone I could without a doubt trust."

"Now I don't know what to think."

"I feel like it was all a lie." Eleanor shares sadly, laying her head on Liam's shoulder. "I really thought we were friends and now I don't even know this person."

"Boo hoo." Cyrus says making fun. "I never trusted the little wench and neither should any of you."

"I never fully have either." Helena pips in, surprising her children.

"I suppose it's my natural inclination to keep one eye open, especially on those working so closely with us."

"And especially on those who become so close to my children." She says, giving Jasper a look, which causes everyone else to give him a once over.

"What did I do?" Jasper asks the room in defense.

Helena ignores his question, continuing on, "She has taken over my position after all."

"I don't know if she is trustworthy or if she was just playing us all along, that's why we all need to keep our eyes open and our guards up when they return home."

"I forgot to mention, her mother knew Dominique Stewart."

"What?" the other four ask in shock.

"Yes, when we met, she said that we had met before and that she was good friends with Dominique."

"Do you think that means something?" Liam wonders.

"I'm not sure, it could." Helena informs them.

"But I took care of Jeffrey Stewart." Cyrus reminds them.

"Yeah but that doesn't mean that there aren't others still doing their dirty work." Jasper offers, stating the obvious.

"And what better way than from the inside." Cyrus understands regrettably chastising himself for not taking care of the entire family while he had the chance.

"Don't you see, they've planted her here." He continues.

"Perhaps as a decoy. Or perhaps as a way to finally place one of _them_ on the throne." "You weren't paying too close of attention to the situation were you Dowager?" He asks, suddenly pushing the blame onto Helena.

Helena simply glares at her brother-in-law before stating, _"This_ has seemingly come out of nowhere."

"You're the one who hired her!" Cyrus yells back in retaliation.

Before World War III can ensue amongst the former allies their maid enters the room announcing, "Breakfast is served Your Majesty, Your Highnesses".

"Shall we?" Helena says, ushering them all to the table.

"That was close." Eleanor whispers to Liam as they are all seated for breakfast.

The three of them dare a glance at the Queen and Cyrus to survey the damage at the words exchanged.

For Jasper it's still an odd thing, sitting down at the table to eat with the Henstridge's. He supposes it's a perfectly normal thing for one to do, eating with their girlfriend's family. But they aren't a perfectly normal family, they are _Royal_. And along with being Eleanor's family, they are also still his bosses. Perhaps one day, when he can officially call them _his_ family it will begin to feel not so strange, maybe. These felt nice, family meals weren't exactly a part of his life back in Nevada.

He silently wonders what the family would think if they, save for Liam, knew what his and Boone's plan had been for King Robert had things gone as planned. Initially Jasper had thought he had taken a bullet for Robert, now he might have to be the one to take him out. This felt eerily familiar; like pulling the lever to release the video of Ted Pryce stabbing King Simon.

Why was it always Jasper's hand on the bomb? One answer, because he loves Eleanor more than life itself and has promised to do anything and everything that he has to protect her and their life together.

An uncomfortable silence lingers between them all for several minutes before Eleanor decides that she can't take it any longer and needs to say something.

"I can talk to Willow when they return, say something, assess the situation." She offers.

"No, I should do it." Helena argues.

"You have done enough already." Cyrus hisses.

Helena just gives him a look, rolls her eyes and chooses to ignore his snide comments.

"No Mum, I really think I should be the one, if you do it it might look suspicious." Eleanor explains.

Nodding her head Helena concedes, but warns, "You'll be careful, and report back if you find out anything?"

"Of course I will." Eleanor promises, taking a sip of her tea.

"I just think it will look more natural, you know?"

"Maybe you could wear a wire or something." Cyrus suggests.

"I don't think we're quite at that point." Jasper replies, agreeing that Eleanor should be the one to go to Willow in an act of concern and friendship. He too is concerned for her wellbeing, because one never can tell now with Robert or Willow, but she is also the last person that they would expect to be harboring any malice towards them.

Jasper takes ahold of Eleanor's hand; this meeting hasn't exactly produced any solutions to their problems, they need more information before they can proceed. They need to know where they stand with the King, what he knows and what moves he's going to make.

They also need to find out more about Willow and what, if anything she has spilled to her husband and whose side she stands on.

Jasper has decided that he will go pay Brandon Boone a visit after breakfast, to see where he stands and The Queen, Liam and Cyrus have promised to get in touch with Aston Lange to dig up the dirt on Wilhelmina Moreno Henstridge, her parents and the Stewart family.

They are running out of time, and they need to get their information in order to save The House of Henstridge. It's time to play Robert Henstridge's own hand against him.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Jasper Frost cannot believe that he is once again trolling the streets of London, not the safest parts of the city mind you, searching for Brandon Boone.

Walking these streets on foot is not the safest method, but the most discreet, so here he is, again.

Jasper makes it a point to always be on guard, as he always feels as though he's being followed.

He's not quite sure if he's just being paranoid or if he really does hear the light sounds of boots against the pavement.

He makes a swift turn into a desolate ally.

To be on the safe side, Jasper slowly withdraws his gun from its holster, when once again he turns and he and Boone are standing there, face to face, each with their weapons drawn.

"Frost", Brandon Boone greets, his face its normal passive expression.

"Is the gun really necessary Boone?" Jasper asks in return.

"I don't know, you tell me." Boone says, throwing the ball in Jasper's court.

"Why are you following me?" he asks, giving the situation a very eerie feeling of déjà vu.

"I wasn't following you, I was looking for you, we need to talk." Jasper promises, putting his own gun down.

"Well, someone has been following me." Boone informs him.

"The old guy perhaps?"

"James Hill?" Jasper reminds him. "Nah, he's busy now as Head of Security."

"Besides, he's more than happy to let me handle my own messes these days."

"Problems in paradise?" Boone questions him interested.

"You could say that." Jasper begins.

"I really fucked up, bad and now James doesn't trust me, for anything."

When Brandon fails to respond Jasper figures that it's a good time to change the subject. "Who do you think it could be?" "If someone really is following you?"

"I honestly don't know, that's why I was kind of hoping it was you." Boone explains, his own gun still in plain sight, a little too close for Jasper's comfort since being shot.

"Would you mind putting the gun away?" Jasper pleads.

"I suppose that I can trust you, for now." Boone relents, as they both secure their individual weapons once again.

"So what did you want to talk about?"

Regaining some composure, now that he no longer has a gun in his face, Jasper explains how they need to discuss Robert; all that Brandon knows about him, what he knows about the King's miraculous rescue from sea, the failed coup, and what they do now to stop him and protect the rest of the Royal family and the British people from him.

"The first time Eleanor and I met with you, you said that if you had known that it was his plane who you were being told to crash that you wouldn't have done it and not because he was the Prince, but because he was him, what did you mean by that?", this was a question that the bodyguard had held in the back of his mind for all this time.

Boone begins looking around, surveying their surroundings, he looks genuinely afraid of something or someone.

"Do you mind if we go somewhere else, so we aren't so out in the open having this conversation?" He requests.

The duo is silent all the way back to a seemingly deserted, shack, for lack of a better word.

Boone wordlessly ushers Jasper into the door of the shack and looks around before closing it behind him.

They are now standing in a dimly lit room and as Jasper adjusts his eyes to the light he takes a look around. The room houses a small kitchenette, a single bed and a washroom.

" Nice to see you've moved up in the world", he teases walking around the room, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

Boone is tinkering around at the sink, and doesn't appear to be paying his visitor any mind.

"Can it Frost, we all can't be so lucky to be living in a Palace and F..."

"Watch it!" Jasper demands, catching where he's headed and stopping him before he says something he can't forgive.

" I know I'm very lucky that the Henstridge's let me live there, but it's not a casual thing between the Princess and I, it's not, it's the real deal."

"Well lucky you", Boone whispers, handing Jasper a glass. They each take a seat on a couple of milk crates, while Jasper takes a sniff of the liquid in his hand.

"It's whiskey!" Boone exclaims. "I'm not trying to poison you, promise."

Jasper didn't expect an explanation from him about his new living situation, but suddenly Brandon begins to do just that. "I can't afford to stay in the same place for too long, to get too comfortable. He has people watching me I think."

"Who?" Jasper inquires, scowling.

"The King of course", Boone states like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"You can't be serious?" Jasper asks, almost believing that he has surely lost his mind now.

"I'm totally, fucking serious" Boone continues. "I know too much, have seen too much, and he knows it." "To be honest, my best bet would be to just disappear."

"So why don't you?" Jasper wonders.

"You need help bringing him down, you said so yourself." Boone explains.

"So you are staying here for me?" Jasper asks, almost feeling guilty, almost.

"I told you I was trying to make amends, remember?" Boone reminds him.

Jasper remembers that conversation, the conversation which came after their joint conversation with Harper Day. Perhaps he really did hold all the pieces to this very long and confusing puzzle.

"Do you want your answer to why I wouldn't have taken down Prince Robert's plane now?" he asks, pulling Jasper from his private thoughts.

Jasper shakes his head yes.

Boone stands up and pours himself another round of whiskey, offering Jasper the remaining contents of the decanter. Jasper shakes his head no, wanting to be stone cold sober for this conversation.

Boone sits back down, taking a hardy swig of liquid courage before continuing.

"While we were on duty with the military; away doing drills with the aircrafts and such, Robert began asking if anyone was willing to help him with a secret mission".

"What type of mission?" Jasper asks, becoming increasingly interested and weary of the young Monarch at the same time.

"I never really asked, I really didn't want to get too involved." Boone explains.

"But after awhile, he began to seek me out!" "And as you can imagine, he isn't the easiest person to ignore or deny."

"No, he's not." Jasper agrees. "Was he different back then?"

"What do you mean, different how?" Boone asks, not sure he understands.

"From the way the family speaks about Robert, from before and even from the things you've said, I always feel as though he was almost like a different person before the "accident"." Jasper explains.

"Well", Brandon begins. "While we were away on duty he seemed freer."

"Freer?" Jasper asks.

"Yes, you know, he's quite a severe personality now, but I guess one has to be that way if they are King."

"But while away, at sea, he was free; not so encumbered by his position and his job, by the role or the way he thinks he has to play it."

"Do you think some of it's an act?" Jasper wonders, never having considered it before.

"I think perhaps you're right in saying he was different before now that I think of it."

"I always got the impression that the former King, his father was very tough on him."

"I think to be King and before the future King and perfect son was difficult and weighed heavily on him and that yes he portrays that the way he thinks he has to."

"But that perhaps the real him is quite different. It's like he has multiple personalities."

"But out there he was calm and sure of himself. I guess because he didn't have the pressures of being the future King. He was just one of us; no better than anyone else, just one of the guys out there all for the same purpose."

"Well, we all know status and who you are matters to the King now, I think it always has." Jasper chimes in, thinking of both Beck and Sebastian.

"He gives you a hard time aye?" Boone asks with a smirk, lifting the glass once again to his lips.

"Yeah, you could say that." Jasper agrees.

"Well you are shaking up with his baby sister." Boone reminds him.

"He talked about her all the time out there."

"Oh yeah?" Jasper inquires.

"Yeah, that's why I always wanted to meet her in person."

"What would he say?" Jasper wonders once again.

"He would say that she was his favorite person in the whole world and that they told each other everything." Boone shares.

"Oh and that he was going to make sure that she got out."

"Got out?" Jasper shakes his head, not understanding.

"Robert saw what that world of their's was doing to the Princess, with the guys and the drugs and he made a promise to himself that he would get her out with the least amount of damage done possible." Boone explains.

"So did you help him?" Jasper wonders, going back to the secret mission.

"He doesn't exactly give you a lot of choice, you know?" Boone counters back.

"I didn't want to."

"But you did?" Jasper continues to probe.

Boone no longer wishes to look Jasper Frost in the eye, so he once again turns himself around so that he is staring out the small window above his sink.

After a few minutes of silence, sitting there in the dark room Jasper finally hears the words he came here for, "Yes, I did, I helped Robert." Boone confesses.

"You helped him crash his plane?"

"Yes"

"You helped him disappear?"

"Yes"

"You helped him feign dead?"

"Yes"

"You helped Ted Pryce sell this con to the Royal family?"

"More or less yes."

Thank you to all of you Loyals, who are still here with me, still interested. I've had a difficult time writing my fanfics since the end of The Royals. We don't know what would have happened; there are so many unanswered questions, so I can just write it however I wish. I am going to try to keep writing this and Behind Closed Doors. Hopefully you will be here, continuing to read, enjoy and review. Happy Christmas Everyone!


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